ENGINEER
OPERATIONS
INTRODUCTION: United States and Canadian military Engineers executed the response and recovery from Hurricane Andrew with skill, precision, and compassion. With nearly 11 battalion equivalents under the direction of FEMA, Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force, and Canadian engineer forces tackled the tasks of road and runway clearance, debris removal, water and food distribution, and the temporary housing of displaced citizens. Consideration should be given to using all available soldiers to assist in the clearing of debris.
TOPIC: Engineer Missions.
DISCUSSION: In cooperation with federal, state, county, and municipal agencies, some 2,500 engineer soldiers (active, guard, and Reserve), working in concert with sister services and Canadian Military Engineers, assisted in establishing order and relieving human misery. The unique operational skills of military engineers increased the capabilities of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Working in tandem with USACE, joint engineer forces worked to provide basic human needs. This effort allowed private contractors to concentrate on the sustained rebuilding effort. During a sustained and intense four-week period, military engineers provided support relief while carefully phasing out their own efforts as contractors assumed an ever-increasing role.
Response to a natural catastrophe is uniquely an engineering and logistical mission. Engineers provided transportation to bring in food and water, opened roads, built life support centers (tent cities), and provided prime power for hospitals and emergency centers. As local governments reestablished themselves, USACE began contracting essential services and rebuilding. The experience of recovering from Hurricane Andrew's aftermath tested individual service and joint doctrine and exposed some areas needing attention.
LESSON(S):
TOPIC: Initial Road-Clearing Operations.
DISCUSSION: On arrival in the area of operations (AO), engineers had to cut and slice their way along routes, clear downed trees from streets, cars, fences, and dangling electrical lines. The table of organization and equipment (TOE) of most engineer units provides for chain saws, but the numbers are insufficient. One unit purchased 149 chain saws at home station before deploying and took them to the disaster area. They gave two chain saws to each squad. Each chain saw had two extra bars, a sharpening device and three extra chains.
LESSON(S): Load and transport all engineer portable tool sets and kits. Engineer units are not the only units who need to obtain and use these tools. Consider purchasing additional chain saws before deployment.
TOPIC: Engineer Unity of Effort.
DISCUSSION: Engineer work was not limited to only engineer type units and personnel. Nonengineer soldiers used chain saws and pioneer tools and vehicles to remove trees and other obstructions, and clear debris. JTF Engineers were tasked to perform missions that were beyond the capabilities of nonengineer units.
LESSON(S): Engineer reconnaissance must be an essential part of the initial assessment and intelligence process. Deploy with pioneer tools, chain saws including spare parts for issue to all patrols. Deploy with as large an engineer force as possible including significant reinforcement in "blades, scoopblades and dump trucks." An engineer group is required for a major disaster especially for the command and control for echelons above division engineer units. The priority for the engineer effort must come from the local authorities.
Major
engineer tasks are:
Table
of Contents
Communications
and Automation
Military
Police and Physical Security
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